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J.D. Martinez displaying formidable power stroke

7/1/14: J.D. Martinez lifts a two-run home run deep to left field off Brad Mills to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead

By Jason Beck and Matt Slovin
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MLB.com |

DETROIT -- Victor isn't the only Martinez on the Tigers with 20 home runs by the All-Star break. J.D. Martinez just split his total between Detroit and Triple-A Toledo.

When Martinez homered off Oakland's Brad Mills Tuesday night, it was his 10th home run since the Tigers called him up in late April. The outfielder was summoned after hitting 10 homers in just 17 games for the Mud Hens.

Martinez is the first player since Matt Joyce in 2008 to post double-digit homers at both stops in the same season. Unlike Joyce, who hit nine homers in Detroit by the All-Star break, Martinez got to double digits at both stops by the midway point.

Just two other players have had double digits at both places since the Mud Hens moved to downtown Toledo in 2002. Carlos Pena did it in 2005, a year after Marcus Thames pulled off the double-double.

Add the two levels together, and Martinez is averaging a home run every 10.5 at-bats. The Major League leader in home run rate, White Sox slugger Jose Abreu, entered Wednesday averaging a long ball every 10.73 at-bats.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. Matt Slovin is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.